Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign announces $100 million goal

Five-year fundraising effort to help bridge financial gap for families

written by Vince Frieden, associate director, development communications

For Devante Johnson, a junior electrical engineering major from Dayton, the scholarship support that drew him to Miami University is about more than dollars and cents or even just the opportunity to attend college.

“My scholarship has given me freedom — freedom to take advantage of all the incredible opportunities Miami has given me, freedom to enjoy my college experience both academically and socially,” Johnson said. “Every student deserves the freedom of a college experience that helps them discover who they can become.”

In an effort to inspire more stories like Johnson’s, Miami has announced a five-year, $100 million scholarship campaign. The Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign seeks to involve alumni and friends in bridging the financial gaps faced by an increasing percentage of today’s college-bound students and their families.

“Scholarships are opportunity — the opportunity to attend and excel at Miami University — and our students are deserving of those life-changing opportunities,” Miami University President David Hodge said. “By raising $100 million in new scholarship support, the Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign will demonstrate our commitment to affordable excellence and ensure a Miami education remains within reach of bright, hardworking students and their families.”

While Miami seeks support for all types of scholarships, it is prioritizing scholarships for need, merit and diversity and has placed particular emphasis on recruitment scholarships. Offered to prospective students as part of their financial assistance packages, recruitment scholarships remain with students throughout their college careers and allow for direct connections between donors and students.

“The most meaningful way we can offset the financial obstacles faced by families is by growing the level of private scholarship support we have available to meet that need,” said Michael Kabbaz, vice president for enrollment management and student success. “Four years at Miami can and does change lives, and those who support the Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign will help ensure those opportunities for generations to come.”

As a demonstration of its own commitment to the Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign, the university has introduced three matching gift programs, encouraging donors to create new endowed and four-year expendable recruitment scholarships.

* Match the Promise—Endowed: Offers an eight-year university match that allows a permanent endowed scholarship to be awarded immediately while its principal grows unimpeded over the first four years.

* Match the Promise—Immediate Impact: Supports four-year expendable scholarships that connect individual donors and students. Miami offers a $1 match on every $2 invested by the donor.

* Forever and a Day Athletic Scholarship Society: Supports four-year expendable scholarships for Miami’s varsity student-athletes. Miami offers a $1 match on every $2 invested by the donor, with options available at in-state and out-of-state levels.

“We have achieved considerable momentum by involving our alumni and friends in the support of current and future Miami students and have already received more than $11.6 million in scholarship support since the start of 2014,” Vice President for University Advancement Tom Herbert said. “We are excited by the enthusiastic donor response to the challenge of ensuring that the promise of a Miami education remains within reach of all families.”

While the cost of higher education in general has risen due to declining state and federal funding, Miami has consistently received national recognition for value, return on investment and spending efficiency from publications such as Kiplinger, SmartMoney, U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. U.S. News & World Report also recently ranked Miami the No. 1 public university nationally (No. 2 overall) for strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.

To learn more about the Miami Promise Scholarship Campaign, visit ForLoveandHonor.org/MiamiPromise or contact the Miami University office of development at 513-529-1230 or MUDevelopment@MiamiOH.edu.